Dwayne Haskins, the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, died in a car accident in West Palm Beach, Florida on Saturday. Haskins was 24 years old at the time of his death.
In a statement released on Saturday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed the tragedy.
“With the terrible demise of Dwayne Haskins, I am devastated and at a lost for words,” Tomlin remarked. “Upon his arrival in Pittsburgh, he soon became a member of our Steelers family and was one of our hardest workers, both on and off the field.”
According to the Florida Highway Patrol in West Palm Beach, Haskins was engaged in a “fatal vehicle vs pedestrian crash” early Saturday morning at roughly 6:30 a.m.
In an email to NBC News, Lt. Indiana Miranda said the football player was strolling on “a limited access facility for unknown reasons” as he attempted to cross the westbound lanes of Interstate 595 with oncoming traffic. He collided with an oncoming dump truck at that point.
Miranda said Haskins was declared dead at the scene and that the event is still being investigated as a traffic homicide.
“Dwayne was a fantastic teammate, but he was also a fantastic friend to a lot of people. I’m heartbroken, to say the least, “Tomlin explained. “During this terrible moment, our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Calabria, and his entire family.”
Haskins, a former great quarterback at Ohio State University, will turn 25 next month.
Despite only starting for one season, Haskins established himself as one of college football’s finest players, setting Big Ten records and finishing third in Heisman Trophy voting in 2018.
Ohio State paid tribute to Haskins on Twitter, calling him a “Leader. Legend.” “I’ll always be a Buckeye.”
Joe Burrow, a former Ohio State quarterback who now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals, also paid tribute to him on social media, writing, “Tough to find the words… you will be missed.”
Haskins made his NFL debut in 2019 as a first-round selection pick for the Washington Commanders, where he played for two seasons.
“I am terribly heartbroken to learn about Dwayne Haskins Jr.’s demise. Dwayne was a gifted young man with a bright future ahead of him “In a statement, Washington Commanders Head Coach Ron Rivera remarked.
Rivera added, “I believe I speak for the rest of our team when I say he will be dearly missed.” “At this time, our entire staff sends our heartfelt sympathies, thoughts, and prayers to the Haskins family.”
Haskins’ family and loved ones received “deepest sympathies” from the NFL.
Haskins signed a one-year deal with the Steelers last year, but he never saw action with the team during the regular season. This week, Haskins was in Florida working out with many other Steelers skill position players in preparation for the next season.
TJ Watt, a Steelers teammate, lamented Haskins’ death on Twitter, writing, “The world lost a fantastic person today.”
“I could tell Dwayne was an energetic man when he first went into the locker room,” Watt said. “He made people laugh all the time and never took life for granted. His influence on me will last a lifetime.”
